The Foods that are Representative of Cultural Diversity - Case Study Example

Student’s Name Instructor’s Name Course Date The foods that are representative of cultural diversity The menu that has been prepared is actually a representation of diversity in different ways. One of these is terms of culture. Some of these foods that are representative of culture are: Hummus Candies Sandwich whole meal bread How the food has been made appealing to children When designing a menu for children, the issue of meals being appealing is very important. The contrast between children and grownup consumers is that while grownups will eat whenever they feel hungry, children expect to be pasted. Therefore, the attractive aspect of meals is quite important. One of the considerations across all the meals that have been preferred is texture and color. Children are overly sensitive over this. Rough texture will definitely not go well with this age of children. Therefore, the meals that have been selected mostly have a very smooth texture. In addition, there colors are quite attractive to the eye (NEALS 17). This is because even at this age, the child is greatly sensitive to color. At the same time, the shape of food has also been considered in the presentation of this menu. This is based on the fact that children do not like sloppy stuff. Moreover, the smell of food is also a nice consideration that has been made in relation to the menu meant for the kids. The good smell has been confirmed in most of the meals that have been added to the menu. This can be exemplified in meals like fish which has a very nice smell. The same is true with the hummus and many other meals. Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Morning tea Cereals & milk Popcorn & natural yoghurt Low fat milk & teaspoon of milo Wholegrain cereal & low fat milk 2 slices of bread & low fat hummus Lunch Hummus rice fritters & salad Baked beans Mashed banana & ricotta cheese Egg & shredded lettuce Cooked potato & grilled meat Dessert Candies Low fat banana One packet of pretzels Chopped fruit Toast with low fat margarine Afternoon tea Low fat milk & 1 teaspoon of milo Low fat milk & 1 teaspoon of chocolate Low fat milk & 1 teaspoon of cocoa 4 vita weats& 2 slices of low fat cheese 1 slice of toast with low fat ricotta Baby lunch Cooked broccoli & fish Cooked potato & ricotta cheese Hummus & salad Sandwich wholemeal bread Rice & fish + carrots Modification or alternative Oats mixed with 1 glass of milk Nutritional needs The menu that has been designed has managed to balance various nutrients in accordance to the needs of children. The various meals that have been included in this menu have different nutritional roles. The children are exposed to a variety of foods which means increased nutritional content. There are fruits, vegetables, cereals, fish, meat, dairy products, etc. which increases the nutrition value of this diet (Nutrition Australia 1). The content of extra foods has been minimized in this menu. Such additions have been found to be health hazards. A good example is margarine. These items have been minimized in this menu (Australian Government 1). The food products that have been chosen in this menu contain the main nutrients which are proteins, fats, carbohydrates, water, vitamin and minerals. The foods containing these nutrients have been balanced during the whole day. The variety of food types that have been proposed have been specifically chosen to meet the nutritional needs of children. The energy giving food products have been included on the menu because at this age, the children are quite active. The require energy to undertake many activities. Participation of children From the list of food products that have been presented on this menu, there are those items of food where participation of students is possible. This can be through serving or preparation of their food. One of the foods that children can take part in preparation could be toasting of bread. With some instructions, school-going children can easily prepare toast bread. Another meal that can be easily prepared and served by children is oats. Oats is mixed with milk and served to children without necessarily serving it with other meals. For such, a child can easily serve herself/himself (Australian Government 1). In addition, there are many meals on the menu that in spite of the fact that the children cannot prepare, they can serve themselves. One of these kinds of meal consists of popcorn served with yoghurt. This is not difficult for children to take part in serving them. Another meal that children can easily serve themselves is slices of bread being served with low fat hummus. For such a meal, very few children will struggle serving themselves unless they are very young. Foods which do not give hard time to children serving themselves make it easier for the care-givers. Children can easily carry such food to their school. Children understanding & awareness to healthy living It is important for children to understand the reason to embrace healthy living. With such awareness, they will not be forced to consume some foods as if it is a punishment. Based on understanding, children will easily cooperate in consuming the various meals that have been served. The food that a child is given when he is still young usually forms the basis of the child’s consuming habits (NEALS 19). This is because there are some types of food that are not very delicious, but they are very healthy. Such food products may not be the preference for most young children. Therefore, when a culture is nurtured at an early age, it becomes easy to grow in that line. There are many ways through which good eating habits can be encouraged. One of them is being role models on the side of the care-givers. This is in line with healthy eating habits and not just anything. With such, children will easily learn what they see from the care-givers (NEALS 20). In the same way, there need to be forums where issues to do with healthy living can be openly shared. I believe through such platforms the child is likely to benefit in relation to choices they makes in relation to healthy eating habits. Through such forums, children are enlightened on the nutritional value of foods and how to make appropriate choices. Through such sessions, emphasis is supposed to be laid upon foods that are actually preferred. This will establish a strong foundation in the future. At the same time, the children ought to understand some practicalities with some food products. That means that the person that is teaching children can use a lot of examples from his own experience to explain the relevance of some meals. For instance, fish is known for enhancing brain development (NEALS 20). At the same time, using some interactive sessions will allow children express their feelings relating to certain foods. Through that, a lot of information is gathered regarding the preferences of children. This is a very good platform where children can be given advice regarding embracing healthy living standards. Healthy living reduces the risks that are associated with diseases like obesity. In order to avoid such disease, there is need for a balanced diet. After consuming a balanced diet, the need for exercise is also very important. Children at this point ought to be enlightened with practical examples of health related diseases. Children must be made to understand that they are at high risk of suffering from such diseases as a result of failing to eat balanced diet. Such continuous program will finally ground the children with the right perspective concerning their diet. This is very important to the child. When a child grows up embracing vegetables, salad and many others ensures high level of immunity. Legislations The consumers for the various kinds of foods being served in this setting are children. These are fragile elements that require maximum protection. Policies and guidelines ought to be put in place to guarantee their safety. This begins with basic food handling guidelines that will ensure the safety of food served to children is healthy for consumption. These basic food safety guidelines must be observed by everyone who handles the children’s food. This ranges from the kitchen to the canteens. They must maintain the basic cleanliness and hygienic standards required. Such guidelines include the following: Do not pick your nose. Wash your hands after going to the toilet. Do not let pets share your plate of food. Do not sneeze on food. Bathe and change into clean clothes daily. Food Safety Guidelines The food handled in this institution must be done in accordance with the set guidelines (NEALS 4). The Food Act has laid down standards and regulations that can be used to ensure food safety is not compromised. This is also based on the nature of consumers of this food. The following are some of the food safety guidelines that have been recommended: Practise the rules of good personal hygiene. Store, transport and serve food at safe temperatures. Practise and implement safe food handling procedures. Purchase food from reliable food suppliers. Maintain clean premises, work areas, storage facilities and equipment. Prevent food contamination caused by pests through the development and maintenance of effective pest control programs. Work in accordance with safe workplace systems. Food Safety Legislations Apart from the basic hygienic guidelines, there are laws that have been set by the Federal Government to aid in maintaining safety standards as it relates to preparing food. This is emphasized especially when dealing with children like in our case. Such laws must be followed carefully in order to guarantee safety of the children. Some of the laws that relates to this are in the NSW Food Act of 2003. The Act is very clear on matters that relate to handling of food (NEALS 5). The Act stipulates guidelines for various officers that are responsible for handling issues relating to food hygiene. There are specific health officers that have been empowered to ensure that the provisions of this Act are implemented. The NSW Food Act is very clear on the responsibilities and duties of such officers. In relation to this Act, there are so many factors that have to be checked on regular basis. One of the issues is inspection of the premises. As an institution, in compliance with the Acts that have been laid down relating to food safety, it will be our responsibility to allow the officers to inspect our premises as to when they want to do so. This is very important not just for compliance purposes, but for the overall welfare of the children (NEALS 4). In essence, one of the safest way of ensuring quality food is served in a very hygienic environment is by complying with the provisions that have been laid as the basic requirements. This is very crucial for this institution. One of the ways of ensuring optimal compliance with these provisions is through training of staff working in food department. This will ensure that they are well acquainted with the basic requirements. Educating parents on healthy eating Parents spend considerably long time with children. It is important to enlighten them on the basics of healthy eating in order to make the work of the institution a bit easier when the time these students are in the institution. Children ought to be subjected to healthy living when they are with their parents. This may involve some teachings on the basic hygiene requirements like washing of hands, cooking from a clean environment, handling illness in the proper way, avoiding food poisoning, etc. In addition, parents ought to be enlightened on the nutritional needs of the children. This will involve teachings on the nature of foods that are advisable to children at specific ages. These will also fact in the quantity and related prescriptions that will guarantee healthy living. Such teachings can be facilitated during some special meetings between the parents and the management of the institution. This will help both the parents and the care-givers in general. Task 3: Prepare & Present the Meal Preparing Hummus-Rice with Salads Ingredients 1/2 cups precooked packaged brown rice (such as Uncle Ben's) 1 cup prepared traditional hummus (such as Sabra Classic Hummus) 3 tablespoons cake flour 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper 1 large egg white $ 7 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided $ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 cups baby arugula 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes 1 cup diagonally cut slices seeded peeled cucumber 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion 1 ounce goat cheese, crumbled (about 1/4 cup) Recipe Place first 5 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add 4 (1/4-cup) batter mounds to pan, pressing each with the back of a spatula to flatten slightly. Cook 4 minutes on each side or until golden and thoroughly cooked. Remove from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure with 2 teaspoons oil and remaining batter. Sprinkle fritters with 1/4 teaspoon salt. 2. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, and black pepper in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add arugula, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and onion; toss gently to coat. Arrange about 1 cup salad, 2 fritters, and 1 tablespoon goat cheese on each of 4 plates. Serve immediately. Hygienic conditions observed In the preparation of this meal, the basic hygienic conditions have been observed up-to-date. The produce that has been used in preparing this meal, especially the salads was washed well before being prepared. In addition, the cooking area was cleaned before and after cooking. This was done using the recommended disinfectant. Personal hygiene of the cook was highly emphasized. In addition, food was purchased from authentic food dealers. Finally, food was stored in a very safe place to eliminate possibilities of food contamination. Modifying Recipe to suit children There are some adjustments that were put in place to ensure that this meal is served to children. One of them is reducing the level of sugar and fats in the meal. This is very critical to the children (NEALS 7). In addition, food was served some times after preparation in order to ensure kids are not subjected to very hot food. Ingredients like chili sauce were skipped because of the kids. Only those ingredients that befit children were retained in the preparation process. Works cited NEALS. CHCCN303A: Contribute to provision of nutritionally balanced food in a safe and hygienic manner. Certificate III in Children’s Services: CHCCHILD401A: Reader LO 9204, 2010: 1-17. Print. Randwick & Kaleidoscope. “Managing Toddler Mealtimes”. Hunter Children’s Health Network – 2005-2009, 2009:1-5. Print. Randwick & Kaleidoscope. “Baby’s First Foods”. Hunter Children’s Health Network – 2005- 2008, 2008:1-4. Print. Randwick & Kaleidoscope. “Healthy Snack Choices”. Hunter Children’s Health Network – 2005-2009, 2009:1. Print. Nutrition Australia. Healthy Lunch Ideas for Under 5s. Accessed from www.nutritionaustralia.orgon 12th December, 2013. Nutrition Australia.Food Variety.Accessed from www.nutritionaustralia.orgon 12th December, 2013. Australian Government.Australian Guide to Healthy Living.To Eat Healthy Diet.Victoria, 1998. Print. Read More